If He Gives You Poison, Deem It Honey Poem by Faizz Munshi

For the wise man
evil and good
are both exceeding good.
No evil ever comes from God;
whenever you think to see
evil proceeding from him,
you were better to look on it
as good.
I'm afraid that on the way of faith,
you are like a squinter seeing double,
or a fool quarreling with the shape of a camel.
If he gives you poison, deem it honey;
and if he shows you anger, deem it mercy.

Be contented with your lot;
but if you have any complaints,
go and take them to the Cadi,
and obtain satisfaction from him.
That's how the fool's mind works!

Whatever befalls you, misfortune or fortune,
is unalloyed blessing;
the attendant evil
a fleeing shadow.

'Good' and 'evil' have no meaning
in the world of the Word:
they are names, coined
in the world of 'me' and 'you'.

Your life is just morsel in his mouth;
his feast is both wedding and a wake.
Why should darkness grieve the heart?
- for night is pregnant with new day.

You say you've unrolled the carpet of time,
step then beyond life itself and reason,
till you arrive at God's command.

You cannot see anything, being blind by night,
and by day one-eyed with your foolish wisdom!